Police Chief Gary Cox said the school is distributing letters to parents, informing them of the ban on parking near the crosswalk. “No Parking” signs will be posted in the crosswalk area along Cibolo Valley Drive.

Cox told the Cibolo City Council Oct. 23 that having so many vehicles parked near the crosswalk has caused numerous safety hazards.

“Our concern is the crosswalk,” Cox said. “The vehicles parked on either side (of the roadway) somewhat obstruct the view of children leaving the safety area crossing into the street.”

Several parents have been parking near the crosswalk, the chief said, to avoid having to use the school's drop-off and pickup zone, which is accessed off of Borgfeld Road. The letter being sent to parents instructs them to begin utilizing the drop-off/pickup area.

To point out the safety hazards of vehicles parking near the crosswalk, Cox showed a video recorded recently, before school dismissed. In one scene, a motorist made a U-turn into a lane of traffic near the crosswalk area so they could park into a space along the roadway.

The chief said a state law that prohibits motorists from parking in a main part of a roadway outside a business district or residential area will allow the city to prevent the problematic parking.

“We are not creating a new ordinance,” Cox said. “We are simply putting signs up, making people aware to ‘please don't park here.'”

Councilman Miguel Troncoso said he favored the steps Cox was taking to ensure the safety of schoolchildren. “It's a move in the right direction,” he said. “I don't think there's any question there that safety comes first, especially for these little guys that are out there crossing the street.”

Michelle Barham, who lives in the Bentwood Ranch subdivision adjoining Wiederstein Elementary, said there are safety issues in her neighborhood because parents park along her street, Zoeller Way, to pick up their children at a pedestrian gate in the back of the school.

“They start parking at two o'clock (in the afternoon),” Barham said. “They stand in all of our yards, they throw trash, they are disrespectful and they block the driveways. It's a big safety hazard for the children who do walk home.

“I have seen near-accidents,” she added. “It's a mess. I feel it is a huge safety issue and it needs to be addressed.”

Cox said he will look at the concerns brought up by Barham and see if the city can do anything to address them.